Opposition in Georgia demands freedom of mass media

A group of opposition parties of Georgia has passed a joint memorandum on work of mass media. Among other things, the opposition demands holding debates live on air.

We remind you that Mikhail Saakashvili, speaking to the General Assembly of the United Nations on September 24 promised to provide oppositional parties with a broader access to radio and television.

The memorandum on freedom of mass media was presented yesterday, on October 6, at the briefing held at the building of the Public TV of Georgia. It comprises five points which, in particular, demand to resume political talk-shows and debates on Public TV; provision of broadcasting time for independent journalist's investigations; solution of the issue with legal succession of the "Imedi" TV Company.

The memorandum was signed by the Republican Party, "New Right-Wingers", Conservative Party, Movement "For United Georgia", Labour Party and People's Party.

The oppositionists assert that today in Georgia the TV Channels, which are covering the whole country, have turned into "the instrument of propaganda" in hands of authorities, and instead of objective information, the public is fed with some "virtual reality".

According to David Gamkrelidze, leader of the "New Right-Wingers", ignoring the demands of the non-parliamentary opposition "will cost high for the authorities; and change of power may happen here", reports the agency named "Civil Georgia".